I was looking at the specs, and I don't think it has any capability to be connected to a network at all. This means that you can't do firmware updates to it, so I ruled it out. It looks to be just a dumbed down bluray player.

I think you can plug a hard drive into it, I think this is the model, based on the code from their website

http://www.lg.com/za/blu-ray-dvd-players/lg-BP125-blu-ray-player

The specs aren't bad, and for $66 I guess it isn't bad, just the reviews for it on Amazon aren't that great, and it normally retails for under $100 anyway I think the samsung that NL was selling for under $60 was possibly better, but that sold out very fast, and that retailed for around $150

msukiwi: Norman Ross have the LG BP-125 for $58.00 at present.Christchurch had about 30 left yesterday.

HN also reduced their price to that, which is to be expected.I decided to pay $30 more and get the panasonic they had on sale, as it had network capability, better reviews and a nicer remote. Panasonic stuff seems to be pretty good. The thing is that over time the software on the drive needs updating for newer movies as copy protection updates, which you need a LAN connection for. Otherwise you may not be able to play newer movies on it. Not unless you can update over USB. There were heaps of the LG ones at Lower Hutt HN but only a couple of the Panasonics.

As I doubt that a disc would ever go in one that I was to buy the lack of or difficulty updating isnt really a huge concern, just its ability to handle downloaded files that adhere to the scene standards. So retarded things like only supporting fat32 would make them a non starter, but ask the salesdroids things like that and you just get blank stares.

how does the panny go for playing stuff off a network. Now that the plex server seems to do an ok job of dlna that is a possible option, but obviously I would prefer to just browse windows shares

Frankly, those LG BluRay's are cheap for a reason. They're slow, have a terrible remote and no network compatibility - plus updates will be few, far between, or quite possibly non-existent. The Panasonic sees Twonky Media Server as well as Panasonic BluRay recorders DLNA servers... but I'm yet to try it with Plex. For playing back USB, get yee a HTPC, or at least a WDTV box of some variety.

HTPC has never delivered me smooth playback and the messing around changing video output to match the source material gets old real quick, not sure if there is anything more advanced than I have been using that can automate that.

WDTV has left a sour taste with me after some horrid "support" over its failure to play some files.